Chapter 10: November 1st

[HoneyDog]

As the companions help to see to the needs of the residents of Malbray, Alexander and Isolde begin on the Prinn book. It is soon plain to see that this volume is unlike anything they have seen before, and they find themselves slowly drawn into it.

The others assist Blessing and Rolf with the inmates. These are generally a pathetic, sorrowful lot, lost in their own delusions; while mostly harmless, some are downright hostile, but are gently handled by Rolf with the assistance of Harry. Harry is glad of his firearm when they bring food to the aggressive and hostile Rutherford and Niewicki, who have to be fed one at a time, and at gunpoint. Blessing insists on serving Dr. Vandorff, as Rolf is still enraged towards the would-be killer of his wife.

When the companions sit for dinner, Blessing brings out Joan Bayldon from her room. Joan is still under the illusion that she is Crazy Annie, and does not respond to conversation. She looks better than the morning, but still radiates anxiety.

After dinner, when Alexander and Isolde return to their dreadful book, the others wait while Blessing again puts Joan into a trance, and her true personality comes out. Blessing begins to question her.

“How many times did you travel back, Joan?” he asks.

“Six” comes the answer.

“Do you remember seeing your mother?”

“Yes.”

“And the nurse?”

“Yes.”

Blessing turns to the others.

“It seems consistent with Vandorff’s notes. We will have to probe deeper, and find out what exactly led to her committing the killings.”

Isolde & Alexander,Isolde and Alexander will be caught up in the book. Please be patient – after the others have questioned Joan I will fill you in on the contents. There will be very serious SAN rolls to make, as this is an infamous Mythos tome.

Crozier & Melody & Harry & Vic,Please ask Joan some questions if you like. If not, Blessing will take the lead, but I’d like you guys to work out how to solve the mystery!

[Philulhu]

Vic watched with a kind of horrified fascination. When the opportunity presented itself, she asked, ”Did Dr Vandorff ask any specific questions about what you had seen? Was he looking for anything in particular?”

[HoneyDog]

Joan is in the depths of her trance.

“He just wanted some details made clear, sometimes. But mostly he was content to let me describe what I saw.”

[Philulhu]

”And what did you see?” asked Vic gently, wanting to know more but not wanting to disturb the poor woman.

[HoneyDog]

"I saw many things, many lives" says Joan.

"I think you should be much more specific in your questioning" advises Blessing. "We already know that she has traveled back a very long way."

[aine]

Isolde makes room for Alexander to sit next to her so they can study the book together. She pulls out her notebook so they can copy out any useful information.

[Mephistophilis]

'What is the furthest back you went? what did you see? Did you see God?' asks Harry.

[HoneyDog]

"Not god" says Joan. "Dog. The dog-thing."

A look of fear flickers across her face.

[Mr. Handy]

Alexander works with Isolde to study the book, fascinated and repulsed at the same time.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

The Captain is trying heroically not to look sceptical.

"Let's not talk about the dog for now. What about the men who were killed, with the symbols carved on them, what happened there?"

[HoneyDog]

“Annie left them as sacrifices, for the dog-thing. It can only move through angles. The circles constrain it. But they only work for so long! It’s still coming. It needs another sacrifice!”

Joan sounds desperate with fear. The colour drains from Blessing’s face.

[Snapper]

Crozier:

"Was it Annie then that killed them, or the dog thing?"

[HoneyDog]

“I just said – she left them for the dog-thing!” Joan snaps.

“What does the dog-thing look like?” interrupts Melody, in a soothing tone.

“It’s not a dog, of course, but that’s the nearest thing it looks like. It walks on all fours. It’s difficult to see clearly – it’s surrounded by smoke, a kind of blue colour. But I know it wants me. I shouldn’t have been back there, at that time, and it saw me and is coming for me. It won’t stop! The sacrifices were to delay it, but they won’t work for ever. Annie needs to make another!”

[Snapper]

Crozier:

"How did - ah - Annie find these men she offered up as sacrifices? How does she select them?"

[Philulhu]

Vic watched on in mounting horror. She stepped over to Alexander and Isolde. ’Did you hear what she said?” she asked quietly, trying to keep her voice even. “Have you found anything about a dog creature in the book?!”

[HoneyDog]

“They’re convenient. Mostly out o’ it with the drink. That big Portuguese, he wasn’t. That was a close thing. So she always targets men she knows she can get the jump on.”

Joan shifts in her seat, and a shadow crosses her face.

“We’re wasting time. It won’t wait for much longer. We can delay it some more. It needs another sacrifice.”

[aine]

Isolde is only half listening as she scribbles down some notes.
“What happens if it doesn’t get a sacrifice? Will it appear here, next to Joan?”

[Snapper]

Crozier:

The Captain looks about at his companions with a questioning gaze. Possibly incredulous.

"We don't have any reason to think the dog-thing is anything other than a drug induced nightmare. I have no doubt it seems real to Miss Bayldon here but she's been fed this concoction."

"On the other hand, Miss Bayldon is not denying that her hands killed those men, whoever may have been controlling them. Can we not go to the authorities with the evidence we now have that her actions were cause by the vile drug?"

[Philulhu]

A thought occurred to Vic. She turned back to Joan. ”Did Vandorff know what Annie was doing?” she asked.

[Mephistophilis]

Harry looks to Crozier, what he says makes a lot of sense, all this talk of traveling through time seems hard to believe. Yet, there is something not right in Malbray Asylum. After thinking deeply he speaks, 'This is all very hard to believe Captain, but perhaps there is a way we can find out the truth, by an experiment, I believe that's what you call it Doctor. One of us should take the weakest form of the drug. And since I suggested it I suppose that puts me at the front of the queue.'